Description A stunning representation of the mountains, valleys, and water bodies that give the Seattle - Puget Sound - Western Washington State it's natural identity, this piece exudes a comforting feeling of 'place'. By applying a palette of color to the digital models that depict sea and land elevations with a 3-dimensional effect, the artist has captured the intricate relationships between the various physical features. Incredible detail enhances the interest of this piece, especially at larger sizes, and makes this an exceptional statement for the office, corporate boardroom, or the home.

Paul Hein, Saratoga Springs, New YorkMember Since December 2012Artist Statement A cartographer by trade, Paul Hein has devoted over 30 years to creating maps and images that display a visual clarity and effectiveness of design.

The images seen in the Topographics Gallery are actual digital elevation models of existing topography. In other words, they are maps of the earth's terrain, but without any of the place names, roads, boundary lines, etc. that are normally associated with a traditional map. Paul has used these elevation models to create abstract works of art while maintaining the geographic integrity of the data.

In contrast to the Topographics Gallery, Paul has recently begun adding prints to his Planimetrics and Traditional Galleries. Planimetrics are 2-dimensional images where actual map data has been transformed into colorful lines and shapes. Traditional images are just that - traditional styled maps with place names, roads, and boundaries.